I drop my rig off at the packing shed and head back over to manifest to see what everyone else is up to. Chris M grabs me *Get another rig, you're on this lift in 15 minutes*. Hey, what? I just got down. *You wanted to do your level 8, you're doing it. Get a rig on and I'll brief you!* Umm, ok. The other Nav 260 is available so I get myself ready and head over to the pen. I know pretty much what is expected of me - out-stable-pull within 10 seconds. Doesn't sound too hard, I've been stable on every exit up until now, it's just going to be a somewhat lower exit than normal and I'll pull straight away. Chris clarifies on the plane *out-stable-pull is the general idea, but for a perfect level 8, it's out-stable-check alti-wave off-pull, within 10 seconds. The most important part is stable and pull, DON'T RUSH*. Ok, that sounds do-able. I repeat the routine to myself a few times to make sure it's firmly in my head. I remember my level 7 where I was out and stable and doing a backflip within a couple of seconds and that reassures me that this should be straightforward. Chris points out that I won't be at terminal velocity when I pull so the opening will be a bit slower than usual but will be absolutely fine. Give it another couple of seconds compared with a usual opening. Hooray, maybe I won't get flung about so much this time :-)
I'm going to be out at 6,000' which is way higher than I was expecting, because we're dropping accuracy jumpers out at 3,500' and Chris wants them well out of the way before I go. The jumpers behind us are going up higher so Chris will follow me out.
Ok, here we go. I get to the door, look at Chris and ask if I can go. Yep, so bang! out the door, straight into a hard arch. Quick glance at the alti, wave off and reach. I feel myself wobble slightly so push harder into the arch as I deploy the chute. As with the previous jump, I look up as the pilot chute flies. What's this? A lovely gentle opening, I can actually see the canopy unfolding :-) So much softer than the usual slam! If this is what is meant by a snivelly opening, maybe I'll reconsider options when choosing kit of my own.....
I'd completely forgotten about Chris following me out so was a bit startled to see a canopy way below me when I did my CATTS checks - I hadn't expected to see anyone as all the accuracy jumpers would have landed whilst we were still climbing or soon afterwards. Another quick check of the altimeter confirms I am at pretty much the same height I would have been if I'd done a normal jump from 13.5k and locked on at 6'000 so I was obviously fairly quick with my pull. Later on the ground, Chris confirms that I was stable and checking my alti within 3 seconds and pulled at 6 seconds so definitely well within the time required to pass the level. I was at 5,500 when I deployed so only took 500' from exit which would be perfect in the event of an aircraft emergency.
I'm floating under canopy, relaxed and happy now that I've done my hop and pop and it's all gone according to plan. My frequent assessments on the way down from other jumps meant I was fairly comfortable with the idea of a hop and pop from 4,500' (as per the BPA manual) so 6,000' felt fine. And most experienced jumpers pull somewhere between 3,500 and 2,500 so even a hop and pop at 3,500 doesn't hold much terror.
Another advantage of coming out so much lower than usual is that I'm in exactly the right place and don't need to find the landing zone or travel to my holding area, I'm right over it :-) I drift down and discover the wind has picked up a little, so as usual, I struggle to make much headway directly into the wind. Best not go too far past the landing area then. I turn in at 500' and realise it's going to be a close call as to whether I actually land on the green or just fall short into the field. No way, lol! If I have to scrunch myself up into a little ball to get a few more feet of glide, I WILL land in that wretched landing area that keeps evading me!! And I make it! Just! My feet touch down on grass instead of mud and I run forward a couple of paces and punch my arms up in the air. Yay! I did it!! Landed on my feet on the grass, finally!! My canopy isn't quite so obliging and has landed on the field so I still get a bit muddy gathering it in but I don't care. My landings are finally improving :-)
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